[greg3564]

Originally Posted by madii'swife

When I talked to my husband tonight he was outside Indianapolis, planning to drive until he got too tired. He and his trainer ended up stuck (the trainer got the truck buried in ice and snow) in MO until around 4 this afternoon. They are hoping to make a late delivery in PA tomorrow night, then are scheduled for a pickup in New York.

All is no longer well with the trainer again. He was apparently very furious at having to spend almost 24 hours in a truck stop due to the weather. I also found out from my husband that he has not been allowed to drive any of the time they are in the ice/snow conditions, as the trainer is afraid he's going to damage the truck (he is a lease operator so maybe he feels he would be losing out?).
Also, once they got the truck unstuck today, I was on the phone with my husband who was inside the truck stop, he called my home number to tell me to tell my husband to get out to the truck. I immediately did so and told him goodbye. I then left to run errands. When I got home there was a message from his trainer on my answering machine from right after I left. He sighed, then said that he really needed my husband right now or he would be forced to leave him behind. Now...they're at the same truck stop..why couldn't he have gone in? or had 2 minutes worth of patience.
Anyhow, the moral of the story is my husband is requesting a new trainer, as he feels he cannot get along with someone who would threaten to leave him every time he is upset.

Sounds like your husband's trainer is not cut out to be a trainer at all. What a clown! He calls you to tell your husband to go out to the truck? I think your husband will do much better with another trainer. Keep us posted and good luck.

[madii'swife]

There are sometimes that my husband's patience amazes me. Rather than requesting a new trainer, he had a long discussion with his current trainer. Ends up with the guy apologizing for not letting him drive the ice and snow, and for his temper regarding being stuck in MO. He also apologized to me for leaving the message on my machine. They've also agreed to be more open with each other regarding problems they're having. So, we'll see if they can work it out enough to get through this last week and a half of his training. I have to admit to being concerned still for his proper training, so hopefully it all works out one way or another.
They finished being unloaded as I talked to him this morning, and are going to New York (not NYC) outside of Syracuse to pick up their next load, and will be taking that to Nebraska to deliver Tuesday I believe. The trainer is hoping to make up for some lost time from last week, so they expect to be busy all week.

[Slimland]

I was with Trans Am for Training, and left due to circumstances of famly not Trans am, But if you husband needs a new trainer. The one I had was a guy named Wayne from Utica NY, he was very good, and honest. see if he can request him if he is still there!

[madii'swife]

Slim, thanks for the tip, I passed it on to him.

My husband drove 500 miles today including through some snow. They are supposed to be in Nebraska by 7 am tomorrow so his trainer is driving some as well. From there they pick up a load also in Nebraska and head back for Maryland. I'm hoping that will bring them close to bringing him back to Olathe to test out and get his own truck, but I'm not sure.
I'm hoping things smooth out for us at least a little bit once he has his own truck and his own cell phone. It's very difficult trying to stay connected with him when he has to borrow a cell phone, although I am grateful he's allowed to.
Slimland, can I pm you and ask a few things?

[Slimland]

I would apreciate it if you asked, in the open forum. I have nothin to hide, and you are a Woman and married at that. And I also am married. So just ask in public!

Thanks Hope you understand.
Slimland

[madii'swife]

Not a problem at all, thats why I like to ask, some people care, others don't.
We are rather curious whether my husband's trainer is correct in saying there's no money running legal with TransAm. You said you had worked for them before so I wanted to ask what your take is on that. His trainer seems upset that he's approaching needing a 34 hour reset, as apparently his trainer "never has to take one" :shock: I don't know if it makes a difference that he's a lease/op or not, and I realize sometimes I'm naive as the one sitting at home, but we were curious to hear other drivers feedback on that.

[Uturn2001]

Originally Posted by madii'swife

We are rather curious whether my husband's trainer is correct in saying there's no money running legal with TransAm. You said you had worked for them before so I wanted to ask what your take is on that. His trainer seems upset that he's approaching needing a 34 hour reset, as apparently his trainer "never has to take one" :shock: I don't know if it makes a difference that he's a lease/op or not, and I realize sometimes I'm naive as the one sitting at home, but we were curious to hear other drivers feedback on that.

The reason your husband's trainer can not make any money is due to him doing a lease purchase deal through the company. All of his money is going to the truck, but I doubt this trainer is smart enough to realize it and is trying to find all sorts of other reasons why he is broke or will be broke if he runs legal.

When I first started driving I kinda bought in to the concept of it being OK to cook the book a little to make a bit more money or to make that run that would be impossible to do legally. After a time I realized that in the long run I actually made more money running legally because I had less stress, had to stop less often for coffee and soda and the bathroom breaks, and I could spend my brain power on learning how to run smarter and not harder.

[Bigmon]

When someone says no money I always ask what do they consider money.

Example: I have a Dr. friend that quit being a Dr. because he was making 200k and said there isn't any money being a Dr.

I have another friend that works at a hotel and makes about 20k and he says he's making a killing.

[madii'swife]

Originally Posted by Bigmon

When someone says no money I always ask what do they consider money.

Example: I have a Dr. friend that quit being a Dr. because he was making 200k and said there isn't any money being a Dr.

I have another friend that works at a hotel and makes about 20k and he says he's making a killing.

See, in this case we don't really know what the trainer counts as money. I know that for us, "money" isn't going to take much for us to feel. What I mean by that is we're coming from living on under 20k a year, sometimes substantially under that. We just don't want to end up grossing $300 a week forever either if you know what I mean.

[kc0iv]

Originally Posted by madii'swife

See, in this case we don't really know what the trainer counts as money. I know that for us, "money" isn't going to take much for us to feel. What I mean by that is we're coming from living on under 20k a year, sometimes substantially under that. We just don't want to end up grossing $300 a week forever either if you know what I mean.

Seems like a problem with most O/O leased to a company. I see numbers like 90 cents/mile which just doesn't pay the bills.

Then O/O think they have to cook the books to make ends meet. Which only works in the short time.

Drivers I have talked to seem to be doing OK with TransAm.

The thing you have to understand is this will learning time after he get his own truck. He won't be getting the best paying runs for sometime. As he shows the company what he can do the better runs will come.

I'm sure you have heard it before but I'll say it again. Make his appointment ON TIME. And watch his expenses.
Last Log It As It Happens.

kc0iv